Choices
by Kylie Anderson
Summary: Greg made a choice that night...and it was the right choice, but now he has to deal with the effects of doing right. Set after Post Mortem.


Choices

The world is made of choices. Sometimes it's the simple choice of picking out what to wear or a more serious choice such as taking a human life, but regardless of the choice, it effects each day, each person and each life. We have to live with our choices, good and bad. We have to think about them…each day, each person and each life we changed by making that one choice.

When Greg Sanders ran over that man, he had no choice. There was no way out. He was either to kill or be killed. As bland as that sounds, it's true. We often have to make split second decisions and then live with them. He never intended to kill that boy. He only intended to stop him.

Standing outside the courtroom, Greg could hardly breathe. The boy's family was suing him for a wrongful death. He wanted to scream. He wanted to yell. He never meant to kill Demitrius James. This shouldn't be happening to him.

What would you have done with those precious seconds? Marla James was now without a son. Aaron James was without a brother. But could it have been prevented? No. No, it couldn't have been prevented. The nearest squad car was five minutes out! Five! Stanley Tanner would have been dead by then! His actions weren't excusable…they were justifiable!

Taking a deep breath, Greg stepped back into the empty courtroom. His lawyer was already sitting at the defendant table writing down notes. She noticed him. "Hey Greg, there's a still a few minutes left on that last lunch recess." She informed him gently although she was sure he knew that.

Greg nodded. "Yeah," Greg said sitting beside her. "How's it looking?"

His lawyer sighed. "Well, it's pretty tough, but we're doing okay." His lawyer said with a fake smile. "You've just got to explain to them how you had no choice to do what you did."

Greg looked at her oddly. "But I didn't have a choice," Greg said.

His lawyer nodded. "I know…I'm sorry about how I said that. It's just been a very rough case Greg." His lawyer said shortly.

Greg sighed. "No matter how much money we give Ms. James, it won't bring her son back." Greg told her.

His lawyer laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Ms. James won't be getting anything if I can help it. This was not a wrongful death." His lawyer said firmly. "It was one that was unavoidable."

The courtroom began to fill up once again and Greg's mind went blank. Could this really be happening to him? Wasn't he jamming carefree to rock music only a few years ago? Had he really changed? Within minutes of bringing the courtroom to order, Greg was put onto the stand. "Greg, could you please tell me what happened that night?" His lawyer started off with.

For once, Greg just wanted to be that carefree boy again rocking to loud music. He just wanted to lose his grip of reality. Greg repeated the incident that he had told a million times. "How long did you have to react?" His lawyer questioned.

"Only a few seconds," Greg answered crisply.

His lawyer moved in closer to the witness stand. He could almost smell her lilac perfume. "Now Greg, how far out was the nearest squad car?" His lawyer asked.

"Five minutes," Greg said almost automatically.

His lawyer nodded looking at the jury. "In your opinion, do you believe that Stanley Tanner would have been killed in those five minutes?" His lawyer asked.

"Objection!" The James's lawyer shouted. "Calls for speculation!"

Greg's lawyer shook her head. "It goes to the fact of what Greg believed. If he didn't believe that Stanley would die, he should have waited. If he believed Stanley would die, then he wouldn't have waited and thus acted." She spit off quickly.

The old male judge nodded slowly. "Overruled," The judge said firmly.

Greg cleared his throat. "In my opinion, yes, Stanley Tanner would have died in those five minutes." Greg said.

His lawyer gave the jury a sad look. "Did you want to kill Demitrius James?" His lawyer asked giving him a short glance before staring down the jury.

Greg too looked at the jury. "No, I did not want to kill Mr. James. He was going to attack me, so I drove forward slowly. I wasn't going fast and I hit the brakes immediately. I only intended to incapacitate him." Greg answered honestly.

"Are you upset you killed him?" His lawyer asked.

Greg nodded. "Yes, I'm very upset that a young man has died." Greg said.

His lawyer looked over at the jury and then smiled at Greg before sitting down. The James's lawyer stood up swiftly. "Why should you care if this man died?" The James's lawyer fired off rapidly.

Slightly taken back, Greg blinked. "Excuse me?" Greg asked surprised.

"My question is, why do you care?" The lawyer said smartly. "You say you care and you're upset, but why?"

Greg glanced over at Marla and Aaron James. "That night was a horrible night. Demitrius James decided to go out with his friends and kill one person while seriously injuring another. He made a choice. It was a bad choice, but a choice none the less. When I stumbled upon this event, he forced me to make a choice as well. I had to protect the victim, Stanley Tanner, as well as myself. I never meant to kill him. I care because there is a mother out there without her son. There's a brother who was robbed of precious years with Demitrius. Sadly, there is no other way this event could have played out…unless we had Demitrius sitting here for the wrongful death of myself and Stanley Tanner." Greg said with tears forming in his eyes.

"Do you think money can replace what the James's have lost?" The lawyer said almost ignoring Greg's speech.

Greg shook his head. "If I had a trillion dollars and gave it to them, it would simply not be enough money. There is no dollar amount equivalent to the life of a human being." Greg said simply.

"Were you careless that night?" The lawyer said quickly.

Greg shook his head. "No, once again, I believe I acted righteously." Greg stated.

The lawyer looked over at the jury. "Oh yes, killing someone is righteous." He said sarcastically.

"Objection!" Greg's lawyer shouted.

"Withdrawn," The James's lawyer said before sitting down.

It seemed like years later, but the jury came back with a verdict in a matter of hours. "We, the jury, find that Gregory Sanders should not have to pay a fine for a death that was not, in a sense, wrongful. It was a tragic and unavoidable accident." The forewoman said swiftly.

Greg's lawyer shook his hand. "Congratulations!" She said smiling.

Greg gave her a fake smile back. "Thanks," Greg said while glancing over at the James's.

They looked so…hateful. Greg couldn't blame them. He would hate himself too if he was in their shoes. Slowly, Greg gathered his coat and walked outside. As he was walking across the parking lot, he heard the reeve of an engine and saw the headlights beaming. "You talk a lot about choices!" A voice shouted from behind the wheel. "But my brother didn't have a choice!"

Greg knew that Aaron James was behind the wheel and he also knew that he wouldn't be as lucky as he was before. So Greg stood there. He stood there like a deer caught in headlights. He barely saw the car move towards him.

He was waiting. He was waiting for his legs to snap and for him to roll over the car before hitting the ground and bleeding out. Was this what he deserved? But that moment never came. The car stopped right in front of him.

Greg heard people gasping behind him. He turned to see Marla James, the James's lawyer, Greg's lawyer, Grissom, Nick, Sara, Sofia, Brass, Warrick and Catherine. They were all there watching. Greg ignored them through. He wanted to know why Aaron didn't kill him.

He stepped forward towards the car and Aaron got out with tears flowing from his face. "I want to kill you for what you did." Aaron said loudly.

Greg appeared calm. "I know. I know you hate me and I can understand." Greg said gently walking towards him.

"But it's like you said, I got a choice, right? I can run you over right now and go to jail for it, but it won't do Demitrius any good." Aaron said with tears running down his face.

Greg nodded. "No, it wouldn't." Greg agreed.

Aaron looked deep into Greg's eyes. "Tell me, honestly, could you have avoided it?" Aaron asked.

Greg shook his head. "No and I'm so sorry I couldn't have done anything else." Greg said. "Your brother seemed so smart…but he made one choice that ruined everything for him."

"Tell me, how am I supposed to go on with my life now? You screwed everything up!" Aaron shouted.

Greg shrugged. "I don't know. I take things day by day." Greg said. "One little step at a time."

At this, Aaron collapsed to the ground sobbing. Greg was already by his side comforting him. "I forgive you." Aaron said his tears subsiding. "But I won't ever stop hating you."

Greg helped him up. "I wouldn't expect you to do any less." Greg said gently.

Marla took Aaron and guided him away from the car. "Don't you ever get near my child again murderer," Marla hissed.

The James's lawyer rushed after them. Greg's lawyer shook her head. "We should sue Aaron for trying to kill you! He could have run you over!" She exclaimed.

Greg shook his head. "He wouldn't have." Greg said simply.

Sara looked surprised at that comment. "Why?" Sara asked.

Greg was already walking down the parking garage. He turned and began walking backwards. "Because, it was a very bad choice!" Greg said before turning around again.

The rest of them just exchanged confused looks.

"_One bad choice does not define your destiny. You are not doomed by it. Fix it. Change it. Learn from it." – Anonymous _

**The End**

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI.

A/N- I hope you liked this story. If you liked it, check out my other stories.

Kylie Anderson


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